Michigan State’s Adreian Payne, seen hoisting the net with Lacey Holsworth after the Spartans defeated Michigan in the championship of the Big Ten Conference tournament, will receive a humanitarian award Friday, April 11, 2014 as part of the Wooden Award ceremonies in Los Angeles. Lacey, 8, died Tuesday after battling cancer and forging a close bond with Payne and his teammates. (Michael Conroy/The Associated Press)

Payne befriended Lacey, a cancer patient with neuroblastoma, two years ago and they forged a remarkable bond that warmed hearts across the country.

Lacey died late Tuesday, and there was a vigil for her Wednesday night at Michigan State.

Payne will become the first recipient of the Outreach Award as part of the Wooden Award festivities tonight at the Los Angeles Athletic Club.

Because of Lacey’s death earlier this week, officials weren’t sure if Payne would make the trip for Friday night’s Wooden Award ceremonies.

“We’re very grateful he’s been able to make it out,” said Ernest Baskerville, director of the Wooden Award. “We were prepared for a phone call saying he wouldn’t be able to make it. We fully understood what Lacey meant to him. We’re very excited he’s here. We’re trying to be as understanding as possible with the situation. He’s been welcomed with open arms.”

He was smiling in the photo. Lacey had said his smile is what made her want to spend more time with him when the Spartans made a hospital visit two years ago. Payne had just lost his grandmother a few months before that.

Lacey called Payne “Superman” and Payne called her “Princess Lacey.” The two considered one another siblings.

On Wednesday, Payne issued a statement that read, in part: “I know she’s smiling and dancing in heaven right now. My princess is now an angel.”

The Wooden Award was co-founded by the late John Wooden and late Duke Llewellyn. Mark Llewellyn, Duke’s son, will present Payne with the award.

“Duke was a man who thought sports was a great avenue to bring joy to people’s lives,” Baskerville said. “Being an athlete, people are excited to go to games and look up to you. It’s neat to have an athlete who exudes a great spirit and brings joy to someone’s life. You look at the relationship between Adreian Payne and Lacey Holsworth and see how great it was. This made sense.”

Before Lacey’s death, Baskerville said Wooden Award officials planned to bring Lacey and her family to Los Angeles when Payne received his award.

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The Wooden Award will help fundraise for the Holsworths as well. During the ceremony, a screen will provide information on how to help the Holsworth family with medical expenses for Lacey.